


Should You Find

by nan



Category: Zombieland (2009)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-29
Updated: 2010-03-29
Packaged: 2017-10-08 12:30:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/75675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nan/pseuds/nan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Columbus doesn't know what he's looking for but he's sure he'll know it when he finds it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Should You Find

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [Parthenon](parthenon.dreamwidth.org). My table is Euterpe: Music, and this fic was inspired by Strangers, by Raj Ramayya and Yoko Kanno. Yeah, it doesn't really fit. *G*

Columbus woke slowly, eyelids fluttering in the darkness before he sat up, running both hands through his messy hair. he looked around; Wichita and Little Rock were curled up together at the far end of the small, one-room building they'd found. Tallahassee was near the entrance, hat tipped over his eyes, one hand still firm around his rifle. Columbus stretched his arms up, wincing as his back popped, before carefully getting to his feet and grabbing his shotgun. Never leave home without it, he thought wryly before tiptoeing around their stuff. Reaching the door, he opened it and went out.

The sun was just beginning to rise. The house they stayed the night in was in a rural area, with trees surrounding both it and the road. Looking around, Columbus narrowed his eyes as he watched for movement, but no zombies appeared. Walking over to the old tireswing some dad had made his kids before the world turned to shit, Columbus sat on it and swung cautiously. The rope creaked and moaned under the weight but it held strong. Columbus stared down the road, lost in thought.

Despite the obvious fact that Wichita and Tallahassee - and, well, Little Rock, to be honest - were far more worldly, Columbus had been made the de facto leader of their little group, at least when it came to travel. He didn't know why. Columbus didn't know where he was headed, or whether there was anything actually _worth_ heading towards in Zombieland. It would come to him. He would know it when he got there, whether or not it was the place to be.

He didn't dare tell the others that he was just traveling blindly, though he had a feeling Tallahassee knew. There was a glint in the older man's eyes whenever Columbus pulled out the map and pointed, a glint that spoke more honestly and more eloquently than anything the man's mouth did, except maybe when he was talked about his son.

Columbus scuffed his feet in the dirt, forcing the swing to a stop, ignoring the dust he'd kicked up. He chewed on his bottom lip, before nodding to himself. Today, they would head south.

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder and Columbus cried out, mentally cursing himself for being so oblivious, so fucking _alone_ and _out in the open_. He struggled against the hand even as he pulled his shotgun up but a mockingly low chuckle stopped him.

"Kid, what the hell are you doing?" Tallahassee's voice was low, wry, and Columbus took a deep breath, an awkward, relieved, gasping laugh falling out of his mouth.

"Fuck, Tallahassee, you scared me," he said, fingers painfully tight around his gun. He loosened them with a deliberate slowness, flexing his fingers against the handle. "What are you doing out here?"

Tallahassee raised his eyebrows and sat down, back against the tree the swing hung from. "Nuh uh, I asked first."

Columbus rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Just figuring out where we should go next," he said. There was quiet for a moment before he added, hesitantly, "If, uh, you want to pick-"

"Nah," Tallahassee said, shaking his head. "That's your thing, kid."

Columbus blinked. "What do you mean?" His _thing_?

"Picking where we go. It's not about travel, you know. You're looking for something. You gotta be the one to find it."

Shaking his head, Columbus shrugged. "What are you talking about? I thought I was just going forward because the rest of you guys weren't making any decisions about it."

Snorting, Tallahassee slumped down against the trunk, hard eyes staring at Columbus from under his hat. "It's pretty fucking obvious, Columbus. The way you're just heading forward so goddamn frantically. You're looking for something and I ain't going to stand in your way."

Columbus flushed and looked away. "I don't...I just can't stay in one place." He said the words slowly, as if he was just realizing it.

"Who the fuck can?"

"No, I mean," he chanced another glance at Tallahassee. "I mean...there has to be something more than this, you know? I mean, it was okay during the first few months, just living and having fun but I..." he trailed off. "I just..."

Finally, Tallahassee shifted. "This got anything to do with Wichita?" he demanded. "I noticed you two hadn't been fucking lately-"

"Oh, fuck. Let's not do this, okay." Columbus hunched his shoulders up.

"-don't be such a fucking girl," Tallahassee said, rolling his eyes broadly. "Anyway, shit's been tense between you, even the fucking zombies have noticed. It got anything to do with that?"

Columbus sat quietly for a moment, swinging gently, feet trailing the ground like he'd always seen in movies. "I guess," he muttered. "I just. I think that. I totally think of you guys as family, right? Completely. I guess I just, well, kind of liked having some romance, some kind of big important relationship thing and now it's gone." he muttered the last of this, anticipating Tallahassee's taunting laughter. But nothing came and Columbus looked up, meeting Tallahassee's frank stare. "I guess that's kind of pathetic, huh?"

Shrugging, Tallahassee cocked his head. "Yeah. But it's normal to want something to hold on to. Wichita didn't really need you. She's got Little Rock. That leaves you hanging, so you gotta find something to fill it up with."

Columbus sighed deeply, returning to his brooding for a few moments before frowning. "Wait, you said it's normal?"

"Yeah. Did I fuckin' stutter?"

Ignoring the aggression, Columbus raised an eyebrow. "Well, okay then. What the hell's your thing?"

"_My_ thing?"

"Yeah!" Columbus waved his hands in the air, forgetting he held a gun until it nearly hit him in the face. "I mean, you said that everyone needs something. Since you're not crazy - well, any crazier than usual, I guess - does that mean you already found what your thing is?"

Tallahassee stared at him before snorting. "Fuck, kid, could that have been any more confusing."

"Yeah, but," Columbus shook his head impatiently, "you know what I mean. Are you still looking too?"

Tallahassee sat silent and Columbus thought he was going to have to repeat the question. But Tallahassee tilted his head back, peering at Columbus with a hard little smirk. "Nah, I already found it."

Columbus blinked, lips quirking up. "Really? What is it?"

"Ah, ah," Tallahassee said, pointing one finger up and shaking it. "I can't say. You see, you're looking for what you need, right? Well, I already found it, but it doesn't _know_ it. You and me, we're in opposite positions, here."

Columbus' brow furrowed. "Wait. That doesn't make any sense-"

"Sounds like the girls are up," Tallahassee said, getting to his feet, swinging the rifle over his shoulder.

"Wait," Columbus stood as well, looking up at him. "Wait, what do you me-"

"I'm pretty sure I'm suppose to let it come to me but I'm cheating. Never was much good at waiting." Tallahassee raised his eyebrows and blinked slowly at Columbus, before heading back to the small house.

Columbus watched him go. He could feel his cheeks heat up and shook his head. He turned to stare out into the distance, playing the odd conversation over and over again in his mind. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped a bit, and he shook his head, as if to clear out dust. A small grin played over his lips as he nodded to himself.

"Yeah. I think south is good."


End file.
